More Gem Legion AU minifics!
(in which an accident occurred, Peri forgives easily, and Clark is a dork)
The Ruby has shapeshifted even larger than usual when Peri returns to the barn, blocking the entrance from Peri and obstructing Peri's view of what's inside.
"Peri. I am so, so sorry." He says. "It was an accident, I didn't mean to- I'm truly sorry, please keep being my friend…"
"Oh, just let me see." Peri tells him, and Clark reluctantly returns to his usual form, allowing him into the barn. Within it are the remains of one of his parents' tractors, hopelessly broken.
"I knew you were planning to use some of that for the drill." Clark says. "But I'd never ridden it before, and I didn't think it'd be so difficult…there was an accident…"
"Enough with the excuses." Peri says. "I would've taken it apart anyway. You were doing me a favor, it is not, as you say, a 'big deal'."
"Oh, thank goodness!" Clark exclaims, lifting Peri into the air while hugging him.
"Put me down, Ruby."
(in which Peri and Clark watch a certain other Cartoon Network show about aliens)
"What kinds of shows have rhyming names?" Peri asks, hands splayed out at the screen as the theme song ends.
"The kinds that children watch, apparently. I don't know, maybe whoever made the show thought it sounded catchy?" Clark answers.
"Well, I think it sounds silly." Peri muttered, flopping down on the couch and resigning himself to at least another half-hour of one of Clark's favorite shows. "Even with the vague subtitle that, so far, means nothing."
"It gets better, you'll see." Clark reassured him. Peri sighed.
"By the way, the main character sounds just like you."
"What? No way."
(in which there are thoughts about fusions)
Clark wasn't taught how to fuse- he was, after all, only a few days old when he was sent to Earth, they'd barely gotten to weapon-summoning before the Rose Quartz who had been watching over him and the others had told him he was special and supposed to live, and put him into a ship before the asteroid exploded.
Peri was never taught to fuse, either- he was Era 1, sure, but in their line of work fusing wasn't a necessary skill. Peridots, like Pearls, weren't built for fighting. Why should he go against that?
Still, though…their fusion feels right.
(in which Kara prepares to leave home)
"It's nothing against you...I just have to leave."
"Oh, okay. So you're just gonna run off, to be with these…magical Gem people you just met? Because they want you to help them fight dangerous monsters, and risk dying in order to support their cause?" Alex asked. "Am I understanding this correctly?"
"You are. But these people are like me- I can train with them, learn more about where I really came from. Become more like a Gem, and less like…"
"A human?"
"Y-yes, but…"
"What's wrong with being human?"
"Nothing. It's just not what I am." Kara whispered. "I'm sorry."
(in which Peri has a bad dream)
"Peridot 5." Said Yellow Agate, slowly advancing toward him, urumi held over her shoulder as if she meant to swing it forward and shatter his Gem at any moment.
"N-no. You're not real." Peri said, cowering, hands over his eyes.
"I know where you are, little clod. And I will make you pay for what you did to me."
"No, no, no…" Peri whimpered, as she came even closer and prepared to strike.
"Peri…" she said, voice remarkably gentle, perhaps an attempt at a final comfort before his demise.
Then, again. "Peri…"
Peri opened his eyes, and saw two blue Gems above him instead of one gold.
Kara and Kell stood there, concerned looks reflected on each of their faces. Kara had been shaking his shoulder, trying to get him awake. It was her voice he'd heard, replacing Yellow Agate's.
"Peri! You're okay!" she exclaimed, kneeling down and hugging him. "Kell had a vision you weren't, and woke me up. Then we heard you, uh…talking in your sleep…you sounded like you were in trouble."
"I just had a bad dream." Peri assured her. "Dreams can't hurt me."
"That is good." Kell said. "But the people represented in those dreams might be able to."
"Gosh, Kell, don't be such a downer." Kara complained. "Want to sleep on my hammock again, Peri? If you have nightmares again, I'll fight them for you."
"That would be nice." Peri said, smiling at her.
(in which Peri and Clark are not so different, and love each other very much)
"We're designed to be disposable." Peri said, looking into Clark's eyes, attempting to hold Clark's large hands in his own.
"Peridots, much like other Rubies, besides yourself, are meant to work as a unit. Only instead of soldiers, Peridots are technicians, and our greatest weapons are our brains. It is more efficient, on Homeworld, when many minds are working on one problem. And when one Peridot did not do their job…" he drew an imaginary line across his neck. "Yellow Agate did hers. Then a new Peridot was made and introduced into the unit, and things proceeded. There were so many of us, but it didn't really matter to Homeworld who began a job, and who ended it, as long as there were Peridots there the whole way through."
Clark hugged Peri, tears starting to form in his eyes. "You are not disposable." He said, almost fiercely. "You matter to me, and nothing Homeworld did could erase that."
"T-thank you." Peri said, returning the hug.
(in which Clark takes Peri on a trip)
"Here we are!" Clark said, as he and Peri touched down in front of the large building.
Clark stepped forward, back turned to Peri, and then spread his hands out to appear as if he encompassed the building. As he turned around again, he proclaimed dramatically: "Peridot 5, I present to you- the Metropolis public library!"
Peridot rolled his eyes, but smiled anyway. "I do not understand. What is so special about this 'library' that you speak of?"
"Oh, you'll see." Clark told him. "Come on."
He offered his hand to Peri, who took it, and the two of them walked towards the doors.
As soon as Peri saw the contents of the library, he gasped.
"Educational materials!" he said, nearly shouting before Clark quieted him.
"They're called books, Peri. And yes, the library is a place where you find all kinds of books. You can even take some of them from the library for a short time."
"Ideas like that are why I am starting to like Earth. This, and one other reason." Peri said, leaning into Clark, hugging him around the waist.
"Aww, thanks." Clark said. Then, "Do you want to see where all my favorite books are?"
"I would love to see that."
(in which Kell!Sapphire gets an actual character)
Kell's first future vision was of the asteroid he'd been made on exploding.
From then, the things he saw had not been the most pleasant.
He remembered discussing the matter with Blue Diamond once, asking why his gift felt so much like a curse.
"Because, my Sapphire." She said. "If one is not prepared for the worst of all situations, how are they able to accomplish anything else? The key to success is learning from failure. The others will learn from your visions, and do better."
It's why he was excited, perhaps, when he pulled out the sword from his Gem for the first time, why he decided to learn combat despite his station giving him protectors.
After all, the future was not set in stone. Fate, though inanimate, could still be fought.
(in which Sapphire has no patience for Peri's puns)
"Hey, Sapphire!"
Kell looked up, frowning, as Peri approached him. He sat down next to Kell, and ignored that Kell was scooting away from him.
"Hello, Peri."
"So…how are you?"
"I'm fine."
Peri smirked, giggle almost escaping his mouth, as he spoke again.
"What's the matter? Are you…"
"Peridot 5, if you say "feeling blue", I will poof you and keep you in a bubble until Kara comes back."
Peri gulped.
"I know you were thinking about it." Kell said, glaring at him. "That was a warning."
"You're no fun." Peri finally said, sulking. "At least Kara appreciates my jokes."
(in which...just read it)
He doesn't want to bubble him, but it's the only way to protect him now.
And as the corruption overtakes him slowly, patterns spreading poison-green across his body, it seems less and less likely that he'll be able to fight it. Clark is used to having Peri's usual calm demeanor there to ground him, but Peri stands before him on all fours, screaming.
The end result is something that looks more like a living virus than a Gem, and Clark can't help but think that even their previous relationship won't save him from the terrible thing his Peri has become.